Source Survey 2012 - Use this worksheet to help your organize your sources and help determine if the Fiat Library has the resources for your topic.
Need help interpreting your primary sources? Download these worksheets from The National Archives. This primary source analysis worksheet from The Library of Congress can be used on-line. You can also think like a historian by Making Sense of Evidence from George Mason University. It's a bit wordy for elementary students but you may be able to glean some tips by skimming the information or by going directly to the "model interpretation" page.
Why do we do National History Day? A national evaluation of National History Day suggests that students who participate in this academic program and competition perform better on standardized tests, are better writers, and are more confident and capable researchers. Read the report. The report is 61 pages but the benefits from participating in National History Day can be found on pages 21 and 22. (posted Feb. 4, 2011)
Primary Sources
As defined by The National History Day organization:
"A primary source is that which is written or produced in the time period students are investigating. Primary sources are materials directly related to a topic by time or participation. These materials include letters, speeches, diaries, newspaper articles from the time, oral history interviews, documents, photographs, artifacts, or anything else that provides first-hand accounts about a person or event." For more information, see the National History Day rule book.
Secondary Sources
As defined by The National History Day organization:
"Secondary sources are usually published books or articles by authors who were not eyewitnesses or participants in the historical event or period and who base their interpretation on primary sources, research, and study. These sources provide context for a historical event. For example, high school history textbooks and other history books about a particular topic are secondary sources. So are biographies, newspaper retrospectives, and reference books such as encyclopedias. This definition also applies to secondary sources found on the Internet." For more information, see the National History Day rule book.
AMDOCS - Primary documents for the study of American history. Includes inaugural addresses, speeches, treaties, diaries, etc.indexed by year, beginning with 1492 up to current year.
America in Class - These links from the National Humanities Center provide primary sources according to era. Use the pull down menus after selecting the era.
The American Memory Collection - This website, sponsored by the Library of Congress, documents major events in American history.Browseby collection or time period.
History Matters - Use the "full search" function or browse over 1,000 sources alphabetically in Many Pasts. Sources also include annotations to place source in context.
Irish Potato Famine - Includes Irish and British newspapers. Also, this site from the Virginia Curriculum includes primary and secondary sources.
NARA (The National Archives and Records Administration homepage) - View documents such as letters, photos, reports, etc. from our nation's history. The Exhibits page includes primary sources by era. Online resources also includes sources.
National History Day Research Central - Includes links to primary sources. Some links are also listed below. Scroll down to view.
http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/USHistoryPrimarySources.htm
Source Survey 2012 - Use this worksheet to help your organize your sources and help determine if the Fiat Library has the resources for your topic.
Need help interpreting your primary sources? Download these worksheets from The National Archives. This primary source analysis worksheet from The Library of Congress can be used on-line. You can also think like a historian by Making Sense of Evidence from George Mason University. It's a bit wordy for elementary students but you may be able to glean some tips by skimming the information or by going directly to the "model interpretation" page.
History Day Annotated Bibliography (aka AWC) sample
Why do we do National History Day? A national evaluation of National History Day suggests that students who participate in this academic program and competition perform better on standardized tests, are better writers, and are more confident and capable researchers. Read the report. The report is 61 pages but the benefits from participating in National History Day can be found on pages 21 and 22. (posted Feb. 4, 2011)
Primary Sources
As defined by The National History Day organization:"A primary source is that which is written or produced in the time period students are investigating. Primary sources are materials directly related to a topic by time or participation. These materials include letters, speeches, diaries, newspaper articles from the time, oral history interviews, documents, photographs, artifacts, or anything else that provides first-hand accounts about a person or event." For more information, see the National History Day rule book.
Secondary Sources
As defined by The National History Day organization:"Secondary sources are usually published books or articles by authors who were not eyewitnesses or participants in the historical event or period and who base their interpretation on primary sources, research, and study. These sources provide context for a historical event. For example, high school history textbooks and other history books about a particular topic are secondary sources. So are biographies, newspaper retrospectives, and reference books such as encyclopedias. This definition also applies to secondary sources found on the Internet." For more information, see the National History Day rule book.
Primary Sources -
updated 12/13/12Nineteenth Century Documents Includes documents of events prior to the Civil War through the antebellum period.